BRIEFING PAPER

Number CBP 7654, 24 March 2020

Firearm Crime Statistics: By Grahame Allen

Lukas Audickas,
England & Wales Philip Loft

Contents:
1. Firearm offences
2. Type of offence by firearm
type
3. Type of firearm used
4. Firearm injuries
5. Age and ethnicity
6. Non-air firearm offences by
police force

www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | papers@parliament.uk | @commonslibrary

2 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

Contributing Authors: Aleksandra Gorb (data collection and analysis)

Noel Dempsey (data collection and analysis)

Cover page image attributed to gun-gangster-leather-criminal-523052 by kerttu. Image in

public domain under Creative Commons CC0.
3 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

Contents
Summary 4
1. Firearm offences 5
1.1 Data recording practices 5
1.2 Number of non-air firearm offences 6
1.3 Number of air firearm offences 6
2. Type of offence by firearm type 7
3. Type of firearm used 8
4. Firearm injuries 9
5. Age and ethnicity 9
6. Non-air firearm offences by police force 10
6.1 Firearm offences in London 12
4 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

Summary
Statistics on the number of police recorded firearm offences are published by
the ONS in the Crime in England & Wales bulletin. Gun related crime
statistics are published by the ONS in the Offences involving the use of
weapons: data tables.
Recorded non-air firearm offences
In the year ending 31 March 2019, there were a total of 6,759 firearm
offences recorded in England & Wales. This was an increase of 4%
compared with 6,534 offences recorded during the year ending 31 March
2018, and the highest recorded number since 7,040 in 2010/11.
Type of offence by
Types of firearm offences by firearm type firearm type, 2018/19
In the year ending 31 March 2019, Criminal damage and Violence Against Non-air firearm offences
Air firearm offences
Person (VATP) offence categories respectively accounted for 24.9% and
28.5% of air and non-air firearms offences. Robbery and Possession of Violence
2,374
Weapons offences represented 18.3% and 14.0% respectively. against the
person 411
Type of non-air firearm used Criminal 500
Since 2008/09, handguns have remained the most commonly used non-air damage 1,935
firearm type, accounting for 40% of non-air firearm offences in 2018/19.
1,752
The use of imitation firearms has increased the most among non-air firearm Robbery
35
offences, from 18% of all non-air firearm offences in 2008/09 to 28% in
2015/16, before falling further to 21% in 2018/19. Rifles have remained the
least common non-air firearms type, accounting for around 1% of all
offences over the period. Highest number of
offences
Non-air firearm offences by Police Force Area 2,046
In 2018/19, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) recorded the largest
number of non-air firearm offences - accounting for just over 30% of all 710
480
non-air firearm offences in England & Wales. The MPS also had the highest
rate of non-air firearm offences per 100,000 population, at 23.0, followed
Metropolitan

Midlands

Yorkshire
by the West Yorkshire (20.7).
West

West
Police
5 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

1. Firearm offences
1.1 Data recording practices
In reporting the number of firearm offences, it is not always possible to
ascertain whether a real firearm was actually used. Unless a weapon is
fired or recovered by the police following a criminal offence, in many
cases there is no way of knowing conclusively whether the firearm was
real or an imitation, or whether it was loaded or unloaded at the time of
the offence. Moreover, the categorisation of firearms will sometimes be
strongly reliant on the description given to the police by victims or
witnesses, or upon other evidence. Some offences also involve the use
of imitation weapons, while others involve the use of a ‘supposed
firearm’.
It is worth noting that it has been suggested that some of the recent
increases in recorded crime are due to “improved crime recording
practices and processes leading to a greater proportion of reports of
crime being recorded”. 1
Statistics on the number of police recorded firearm offences are
published by the ONS in the Crime in England & Wales bulletin. Gun
related crime statistics are published by the ONS in the Offences
involving the use of weapons: data tables.

1
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending Mar 2016, 21 July 2016
6 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

1.2 Number of non-air firearm offences

In the year ending 31 March 2019, there were a total of 6,559 non-air
firearm offences recorded by police in England & Wales. 2 This was an
increase of 4% compared with 6,534 offences recorded during the year
ending 31 March 2018.
Between 2008/09 and 2013/14 there was a general decline in the
recorded use of non-air firearms. In 2008/09 there were 8,199 recorded
offences; by 2013/14 there were 4,856 recorded offences – a decrease
of just over 3,000 (41%) over the period. Between 2013/14 and 2. Proportion of air
and non-air firearm
2018/19, the number of non-air firearm offences recorded has
offences
increased by 39% from the 4,856 offences recorded in 2013/14.
% non-air
1. Number of police recorded firearm offences, % air firearms
Year ending March, England and Wales
9 2008/09
Thousands

Non-air firearms
2009/10
Air firearms
2010/11
6
2011/12
2012/13
3
2013/14
2014/15
0 2015/16
2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19
2016/17
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving
2017/18
the use of weapons: data tables, table 2, 13 February 2020.
2018/19
1.3 Number of air firearm offences
0% 50% 100%
Data for air firearm offences show that there were 3,028 offences
recorded in 2018/19. The proportion of offences involving air firearms Source: ONS, Crime in England
decreased between 2008/09 (42%) and 2013/14 (37%), before rising in and Wales: year ending March
2019, Offences involving the
2014/15 (38%). use of weapons: data tables,
table 2, 13 February 2020.
In 2018/19, air firearms accounted for just under one-third of all firearm
offences (32%). This was a decrease compared to the total proportion
of the period from 2010/11 to 2018/19 when air firearms represented
36% of all offences.

2
Firearms include: shotguns; handguns; rifles; imitation weapons such as BB guns or
soft air weapons; other weapons e.g. CS gas or pepper spray and stun guns; and
unidentified weapons. The figures exclude conventional air weapons, e.g. air rifles.
7 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

2. Type of offence by firearm type

In the year ending 31 March 2019, Criminal damage and Violence 3. Type of offence by firearm
Against Person (VATP) offence categories respectively accounted type, 2018/19
for 24.9% and 28.5% of air and non-air firearms offences. Non-air firearm offences
Robbery and Possession of Weapons offences represented 18.3% Air firearm offences

and 14.0% respectively. Violence against

the person
There is a notable difference when comparing non-air firearm Criminal damage
offences and air firearm offences. 63.9% of air firearm offences
were classified as Criminal damage. The largest categories among Robbery
non-air firearm offences was VATP (35.1%) and Robbery (25.9%). Possession of
weapons
Air firearms were used in 1.2% of Robbery and Public fear, alarm
Other firearm
or distress offences, and in 0.1% of Burglary offences. offences
Public fear, alarm
Between 2015/16 and 2016/17, Burglary offences involving or distress
firearms increased by 87% from 113 to 211. They then fell by Burglary
5.9% between 2017/18 and 2018/19, to 189. In contrast, VATP

500
0

1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
offences increased by 8.6%, from 2,167 to 2,374 (2017/18 to
2018/19).
4. Offences by firearm type, 2018/19
Number of offences % change of total % of offences
Type of offence Non-air Air total from 2017/18 Non-air Air total
Violence against the person 2,374 411 2,785 +8.6% 35.1% 13.6% 28.5%
Criminal damage 500 1,935 2,435 +1.2% 7.4% 63.9% 24.9%
Robbery 1,752 35 1,787 +5.3% 25.9% 1.2% 18.3%
Possession of weapons 1,258 114 1,372 -3.8% 18.6% 3.8% 14.0%
Other firearm offences 350 495 845 +14.8% 5.2% 16.3% 8.6%
Public fear, alarm or distress 336 35 371 +2.5% 5.0% 1.2% 3.8%
Burglary 189 3 192 -5.9% 2.8% 0.1% 2.0%
Total 6,759 3,028 9,787 +4.2% 100% 100% 100%
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data
tables, table 8, 13 February 2020.
Chart 5 shows that selected offences in each category decreased until
2012/13. Since then, the index of Possession of Weapons offences
increased the most from 48 to 119 in 2018/18. Over the last two years,
indexes for Burglary and Public fear, alarm or distress decreased from
126 to 94 and from 126 to 221 respectively.
5. Index of selected offences for all firearms
150 Index (2008 = 100)

Public fear, alarm or distress

Possession of weapons
100 Burglary
Violence against the person

Criminal damage
50
Robbery

0
2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables,
table 8, 13 February 2020.
8 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

3. Type of firearm used

For the year ending 31 March 2019 air firearms accounted for 32% of
all firearm offences (air and non-air). This was a decrease of 10
percentage points since 2008/09 when air firearms accounted for 42%
of all offences.
7. Proportion of air and
6. Firearm offences by non-air firearm type non-air firearm offences
Shotguns Handguns % non-air
60%
Rifles Imitation firearms % air firearms

50% Unidentified firearms Other firearms 2008/09

2009/10
40%
2010/11

30% 2011/12
2012/13
20% 2013/14
2014/15
10%
2015/16

0% 2016/17
2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19 2017/18
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving 2018/19
the use of weapons: data tables, table 2, 13 February 2020
0% 50% 100%
The use of imitation firearms has increased the most among non-air Source: ONS, Crime in England
firearm offences, from 18% of all non-air firearm offences in 2008/09 and Wales: year ending March
2019, Offences involving the
to 28% in 2015/16, before falling to 21% in 2018/19. Rifles have use of weapons: data tables,
remained the least common non-air firearms type accounting for table 2, 13 February 2020
around 1% of all offences over the period.
Since 2008/09, handguns have remained the most commonly used non-
air firearm, with such offences accounting for 40% of non-air firearm
offences in 2018/19. This was a 12 percentage point decrease from
52% in 2008/09, the largest percentage fall.
The proportion of non-air firearm offences committed using shotguns
and other firearms remained at or under 10% between 2008/09 and
2018/19.
In the year ending 31 March 2019, around 17% of offences were
involved unidentified firearms. This was an increase of nearly five
percentage points compared to just over 13% in 2017/18 and a highest
share since 2014/15.
9 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

4. Firearm injuries
In the year ending 31 of March 2019, just over 1,700 of all firearm
offences (air and non-air) resulted in an individual sustaining some sort
of injury, an increase of 3% since 2017/18.
In 2018/19, there were 1,426 non-air firearm offences in which an
individual was injured, a fall of 6% compared to 2017/18, though
remaining higher than the 1,250 seen in 2015/16. 9. Age profile of firearm victims,
Of the occurrences where someone was injured (including air and non- 2018/19
Age Victims Population
air firearms), 2% (33 incidents) resulted in a fatal injury. There was a
0-4 0.2% 5.9%
serious injury in 18% of occurrences (310 incidents) and a slight injury
5-9 0.9% 6.3%
in 80% (1,345 incidents). 10-14 5.5% 5.8%

8. % of non-air firearm offences resulting in injury 15-19 13.0% 5.5%

20-24 16.2% 6.3%

Fatal injury 25-29 14.2% 6.8%

30% 30-34 12.3% 6.7%
Serious injury
35-39 8.8% 6.6%
Slight injury 40-44 8.1% 6.0%
45-49 6.7% 6.8%
20% 50-54 5.3% 7.0%
55-59 4.0% 6.4%
60-64 2.2% 5.5%
65-69 1.1% 5.1%

10% 70-74 0.8% 4.9%

75+ 0.7% 8.3%

Source: Crime in England and

Wales: year ending March 2019,
Offences involving the use of
0% weapons: data tables, table 13,
2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19 13 February 2020
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving
the use of weapons: data tables, table 5, 13 February 2020

In 2018/19, the proportion of non-air firearm offences ending in some 10. Non-white ethnicity of
kind of injury fell to 21% - similar as in 2017/18 and around two non-air firearm victims,
percentage points lower than 2015/16. Between 2008/09 and 2010/11, 2018/19
the proportion rose to 28%. Since then (as shown in chart 8) the 16%
proportion of gun crimes with injury fell to 21% in 2014/15 before Victims Population
14%
rising again to 24% in 2015/16.
12%

5. Age and ethnicity 10%

8%
Victims of non-air firearm offences are predominantly aged between 15
6%
and 34, and accounted for around half of victims in 2018/19. Individuals
4%
aged 20-24 represented the highest proportion of victims by age band
(16%) yet this age group only represents 6% of the general population. 2%

0%
Victims of non-air firearm offences who were white accounted for 68% Asian or Black or Chinese Mixed
of all victims in the year ending 31 March 2019 and account for around Asian Black or other
British British
86% of the general population. All other ethnicities, except for Mixed,
Source: Crime in England and
were victims of non-air firearm offences at a higher rate than would be
Wales: year ending March 2019,
expected, based on their representation in the general population. Offences involving the use of
weapons: data tables, table 16,
13 February 2020
10 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

6. Non-air firearm offences by police

force
In 2018/19, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) recorded the largest
number of non-air firearm offences - accounting for just over 30% of all
non-air firearm offences in England & Wales. 3 Compared to 2017/18
the number of non-air weapon offences recorded by the MPS decreased
by 3.8%, from 2,126 to 2,046 in 2018/19.
11. Top ten police forces by number of non-air firearm offences 2018/19
2018/19 per 100,000
Police force number % of total % change from 2017/18 population
1 Metropolitan Police 2,046 30.3% -3.8% 7.3
2 West Midlands 710 10.5% -66.6% 6.3
3 West Yorkshire 480 7.1% -29.5% 8.7
4 Greater Manchester 424 6.3% -11.9% 7.4
5 Merseyside 248 3.7% -54.2% 15.1
6 Essex 215 3.2% 2.4% 7.2
7 South Yorkshire 199 2.9% -22.0% 17.4
8 Devon and Cornwall 126 1.9% -28.8% 5.9
9 Northamptonshire 120 1.8% 16.5% 5.6
10 Nottinghamshire 119 1.8% -5.6% 14.2
Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use
of weapons: data tables, table 12, 13 February 2020

In year ending March 2019, the MPS also had the highest rate of 12. Non-air firearm offences
non-air firearm offences per 100,000 population, at 23.0, followed by region
by the West Yorkshire Police Force (20.7). The lowest rate was Per 100,000 head of population,
England and Wales
recorded in Thames Valley (2.8 offence per 100,000).
By region, London had the highest level of 2,048 non-air firearm London 24.2
23.0
offences recorded in 2018/19, down by 25% from 2,748 in West 14.9
2010/11. The second highest region was West Midlands, with 1,011. Midlands 17.1
This was 17% higher than 862 in 2017/18, but 8% lower compared Yorkshire and 13.3
to 1,095 in 2010/11. the Humber 14.2

North West 13.7

12.5
Chart 12 shows that after taking differences in population into 2017/18
East Midlands 8.4
account, the London region had the highest rate (23.0) of non-air 10.1
2018/19
firearm offences per 100,000 head of population in 2018/19. The East 8.7
8.4
West Midlands was a second, with 17.1. The third highest rate was
North East 5.0
recorded in Yorkshire and the Humber (14.2), followed by Noth West 6.7
(12.5 offences per 100,000 population). South West 5.0
5.8

South East 3.9

4.3

WALES 3.3
3.7

Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales:

year ending March 2019, Offences
involving the use of weapons: data tables,
table 12, 13 February 2020
3
Excluding City of London police
 11 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

13. Non-air firearm offences recorded by police 2010/11 & 2018/19

By Police force areas, England and Wales

Non-air firearm offences

2010/11 Per 100,000 population
2010/11 2018/19
Metropolitan Police 32 23
Legend West Yorkshire 10 21
Merseyside 16 17
Offences per West Midlands 32 17
100,000 population Warwickshire 9 17
Northamptonshire 12 16
Bedfordshire 16 16
Greater Manchester 18 15
South Yorkshire 10 14
Essex 8 12
England and Wales 12 11
Leicestershire 8 11
Nottinghamshire 9 10
Staffordshire 5 9
Cheshire 6 9
Derbyshire 10 8
West Mercia 6 8
Gloucestershire 8 8
Cumbria 12 7
Cambridgeshire 8 7
Durham 4 7
2018/19 Lancashire 12 7
Devon and Cornwall 4 7
Cleveland 4 7
Wiltshire 4 7
Northumbria 5 6
Humberside 5 6
Lincolnshire 2 6
Dorset 6 6
North Yorkshire 4 6
Hampshire 4 6
Kent 3 5
Norfolk 3 5
Hertfordshire 3 5
Dyfed-Powys 3 5
Suffolk 4 4
Surrey 7 4
Sussex 3 4
South Wales 5 4
Avon and Somerset 7 3
Gwent 6 3
North Wales 6 3
Thames Valley 6 3

Sources:
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 12, 13 February 2020.
ONS, Crime and Justice Statistics period ending March 2016, Appendix table 3.12, 9 February 2017 and earlier editions.
12 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

6.1 Firearm offences in London

The number of gun (air and non-air) crimes recorded by the
Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is available in Year end crime statistics
2018/2019 dashboard.

14. Offences involving firearms recorded by the MPS

4,000
Other Gun Crime offences
Gun crime with firearm discharged Offence (Lethal from 2017/18)
3,000

2,000

1,000

-
2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19
Sources:
Metropolitan Police Service, Year end crime statistics 2018/2019, accessed 13 March 2020
London Assembly, London data store, Metropolitan Police Service - Recorded Crime, 20 July 2017 (no longer available)

Chart 14 shows that number of firearm offences recorded by the MPS

decreased between 2009/10 and 2014/15 before rising in recent years.
In 2018/19, the MPS recorded 2,354 gun related offences – a 8% fall
compared to 2016/17. In 2017/18, a firearm was lethally discharged in
404 cases (15% of cases), and in 2018/19 in 390 cases (16%).

15. Gun crime Sanction Detection Rate (SDR), MPS

31% 31%
28% 29% 28%
24% 25% 25%
22%
19% 19%

2008/09 2010/11 2012/13 2014/15 2016/17 2018/19

Sources:
Metropolitan Police Service, Year end crime statistics 2018/19, accessed 13 March 2020
London Assembly, London data store, Metropolitan Police Service - Recorded Crime, 20 July 2017 (no longer available)

Chart 15 shows that in 2008/09 - 2009/10 the Sanction Detection Rate 4

(SDR) for firearm offences in London was around 25%. The SDR
fluctuated between 2010/11 and 2015/16 from 25% in 2011/12,
reaching 31% in 2013/14 and 2015/16. The SDR for firearm offences
decreased to 19% in 2016/17. This coincided with higher overall
numbers of firearm offences recorded. In 2017/18, the SDR for firearm
offences was 19%, and rose slightly to 22% in 2018/19.

4
‘Sanction Detection’ is the term used for police-generated detections as opposed to
those resolved through administrative means. It is assumed that the accused receives a
punishment or ‘sanction’ from the police. Sanction Detections include cases where an
accused person is: charged, cautioned, summonsed, has offences taken in to
consideration (TIC) or issued with a Fixed Penalty. Prior to 2017/18 the SDR rate is based
on annualised monthly data.
13 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

The map below provides a visual comparison of firearm crime levels by

London borough in the year ending March 2019. Appendix table A2
shows the number 5 of firearm offences for each London Borough in
2017/18 and 2018/19.
Please note that offences in London boroughs are reported as
totals rather than rates per population.
In 2018/19, the highest number of firearm offences in London were
recorded in Haringey and Lambeth (both 140), followed by Southwark
(131), Newham (123) and Lewisham (110).
Lambeth and Haringey boroughs also had the highest number of
offences when a firearm was lethally discharged – 57 and 32
respectively. The lowest rate in 2018/19 was Richmond upon Thames
(19 total gun offences).
Between 2017/18 and 2018/19, the highest proportional increase from
firearm offences, of 43%, was recorded in Hounslow (rising from 42 to
60 firearms offences). This borough, however, had the 20th lowest
number of recorded firearm offences of the 32 London Boroughs.
Greenwich had the highest actual number increase in offences of 28
offences, or 36%, from 77 to 105 from 2017/18 to 2018/19.
The number of firearm offences in Harrow decreased by 37%, or 15
offences from 41 in 2017/18 to 26 in 2018/19. This was the highest
proportional decrease over the period. Croydon saw the largest absolute
fall, from 136 to 101 offences, a decrease of 35.

16. Number of Firearm offences, 2018/19

By London borough, year ending March 2019

Legend:

Metropolitan Police Service, Year end crime statistics 2018/2019, accessed 13 February 2020.
5
Data from 2008/09 to 2013/14 includes House of Commons Library estimates based
on Police Force Area populations from www.ukcrimestats.com
 14 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

A1. Firearm Offences (excluding air weapons)

by police force area, english regions and Wales, year ending 31 March
2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12
Offences per Offences per Offences per Offences per
100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000
Number population Number population Number population Number population

Cleveland 34 6.1 21 3.7 20 3.6 25 4.5

Durham 22 3.5 10 1.6 24 3.9 15 2.4
Northumberland 51 3.6 52 3.6 68 4.7 38 2.6
North East Region 107 4.1 83 3.2 112 4.3 78 3.0
Cheshire 61 5.9 54 5.2 62 6.0 61 5.9
Cumbria 28 5.6 36 7.2 60 12.1 28 5.6
Greater Manchester 827 30.3 709 25.9 504 18.4 365 13.4
Lancashire 207 14.1 215 14.6 179 12.2 126 8.6
Merseyside 352 25.3 258 18.5 226 16.2 248 17.8
North West Region 1,475 20.7 1,272 17.8 1,031 14.5 828 11.6
Humberside 62 6.7 43 4.7 42 4.5 49 5.3
North Yorkshire 11 1.4 23 2.9 33 4.1 20 2.5
South Yorkshire 144 10.5 121 8.9 134 9.8 84 6.2
West Yorkshire 287 12.7 267 11.8 218 9.6 257 11.4
Yorkshire and the Humber Region 504 9.4 454 8.5 427 8.0 410 7.6
Derbyshire 75 7.3 69 6.7 102 9.9 62 6.0
Leicestershire 127 12.2 92 8.8 80 7.7 85 8.1
Lincolnshire 16 2.2 19 2.6 17 2.3 18 2.5
Northamptonshire 112 15.7 81 11.3 85 11.9 93 13.0
Nottinghamshire 204 18.3 137 12.3 103 9.2 99 8.9
East Midlands Region 534 11.5 398 8.6 387 8.3 357 7.7
Staffordshire 44 4.0 40 3.6 53 4.8 45 4.0
Warwickshire 56 10.2 57 10.3 50 9.1 51 9.2
West Mercia 78 6.3 84 6.8 80 6.4 50 4.0
West Midlands 985 35.1 903 32.2 912 32.5 648 23.1
West Midlands Region 1,163 20.4 1,084 19.0 1,095 19.2 794 13.9
Bedfordshire 64 9.9 96 14.9 105 16.3 64 9.9
Cambridgeshire 34 4.1 65 7.8 63 7.6 34 4.1
Essex 176 9.9 154 8.7 135 7.6 137 7.7
Hertfordshire 68 5.9 45 3.9 39 3.4 31 2.7
Norfolk 29 3.3 21 2.4 24 2.7 15 1.7
Suffolk 25 3.4 16 2.2 26 3.5 20 2.7
East of England Region 396 6.6 397 6.6 392 6.5 301 5.0
City of London 3 - 0 - 1 - 3 -
Metropolitan Police 3,087 36.2 3,524 41.3 2,747 32.2 2,479 29.0
London Region 3,090 - 3,524 - 2,748 - 2,482 -
Hampshire 75 3.9 100 5.2 79 4.1 71 3.7
Kent 93 5.2 64 3.6 46 2.6 30 1.7
Surrey 66 5.7 84 7.2 83 7.1 54 4.6
Sussex 65 3.9 39 2.4 49 3.0 31 1.9
Thames Valley 214 9.1 158 6.8 144 6.2 123 5.3
South East Region 513 5.8 445 5.0 401 4.5 309 3.5

Avon and Somerset 95 5.8 107 6.5 107 6.5 100 6.1
Devon and Cornwall 70 4.1 61 3.6 64 3.7 133 7.8
Dorset 16 2.1 32 4.2 47 6.2 33 4.3
Gloucestershire 52 8.5 34 5.6 47 7.7 51 8.3
Wiltshire 45 6.4 36 5.2 30 4.3 27 3.9
South West Region 278 5.1 270 5.0 295 5.4 344 6.3

Dyfed-Powys 7 1.4 17 3.3 16 3.1 17 3.3

Gwent 36 6.2 29 5.0 34 5.9 40 6.9
North Wales 42 6.1 35 5.0 39 5.6 21 3.0
South Wales 54 4.2 74 5.7 63 4.8 41 3.2
WALES 139 4.5 155 5.0 152 4.9 119 3.8
England And Wales 8,199 14.3 8,082 14.1 7,040 12.3 6,022 10.5

Note: Police recorded crime data are not designated as National Statistics
Sources:
ONS, Crime and Justice Statistics period ending March 2016, Appendix table 3.12, 9 February 2017 and earlier editions
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 12, 13 February 2020.
 15 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

A1: Firearm Offences (excluding air weapons)

by police force area, english regions and Wales, year ending 31 March
2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17
Offences per Offences per Offences per Offences per Offences per
100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000
Number population Number population Number population Number population Number population

Cleveland 10 1.8 13 2.3 14 2.5 18 3.2 23 4.1

Durham 16 2.6 11 1.8 14 2.2 12 1.9 22 3.5
Northumberland 42 2.9 44 3.1 52 3.6 70 4.9 102 7.1
North East Region 68 2.6 68 2.6 80 3.1 100 3.8 147 5.6
Cheshire 52 5.0 65 6.3 54 5.2 46 4.4 71 6.8
Cumbria 15 3.0 15 3.0 33 6.6 58 11.6 25 5.0
Greater Manchester 387 14.2 397 14.5 437 16.0 450 16.5 454 16.3
Lancashire 100 6.8 116 7.9 116 7.9 110 7.5 114 7.7
Merseyside 211 15.2 212 15.2 162 11.6 151 10.9 195 13.9
North West Region 765 10.7 805 11.3 802 11.2 815 11.4 859 11.9
Humberside 43 4.7 44 4.8 33 3.6 86 9.3 92 9.9
North Yorkshire 19 2.4 16 2.0 11 1.4 30 3.7 23 2.8
South Yorkshire 163 11.9 164 12.0 160 11.7 154 11.3 232 16.8
West Yorkshire 253 11.2 224 9.9 221 9.8 322 14.2 439 19.1
Yorkshire and the Humber Region 478 8.9 448 8.4 425 7.9 592 11.0 786 14.5
Derbyshire 54 5.2 45 4.4 67 6.5 49 4.7 56 5.4
Leicestershire 78 7.5 59 5.7 60 5.7 32 3.1 53 5.0
Lincolnshire 21 2.9 17 2.3 16 2.2 25 3.4 33 4.4
Northamptonshire 50 7.0 31 4.3 35 4.9 93 13.0 140 19.1
Nottinghamshire 104 9.3 93 8.3 66 5.9 125 11.2 119 10.5
East Midlands Region 307 6.6 245 5.3 244 5.3 324 7.0 401 8.5
Staffordshire 27 2.4 41 3.7 32 2.9 47 4.2 49 4.4
Warwickshire 52 9.4 40 7.3 23 4.2 22 4.0 29 5.2
West Mercia 50 4.0 56 4.5 45 3.6 52 4.2 58 4.6
West Midlands 499 17.8 540 19.2 562 20.0 542 19.3 618 21.6
West Midlands Region 628 11.0 677 11.8 662 11.6 663 11.6 754 13.0
Bedfordshire 49 7.6 77 12.0 86 13.4 74 11.5 94 14.1
Cambridgeshire 20 2.4 40 4.8 42 5.1 61 7.3 62 7.3
Essex 131 7.4 154 8.7 176 9.9 184 10.4 258 14.3
Hertfordshire 16 1.4 15 1.3 8 0.7 4 0.3 23 2.0
Norfolk 4 0.5 4 0.5 15 1.7 5 0.6 66 7.4
Suffolk 22 3.0 16 2.2 59 8.0 51 6.9 63 8.5
East of England Region 242 4.0 306 5.1 386 6.4 379 6.3 566 9.0
City of London 2 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0 -
Metropolitan Police 1,959 22.9 1,594 18.7 1,652 19.3 1,556 18.2 2,136 24.3
London Region 1,961 - 1,596 - 1,654 - 1,556 - 2,136 -
Hampshire 72 3.7 57 2.9 84 4.3 113 5.8 119 6.0
Kent 48 2.7 63 3.5 37 2.1 35 2.0 64 3.5
Surrey 48 4.1 39 3.4 32 2.8 57 4.9 54 4.6
Sussex 34 2.1 68 4.1 90 5.5 61 3.7 49 2.9
Thames Valley 167 7.1 131 5.6 47 2.0 95 4.1 81 3.4
South East Region 369 4.2 358 4.0 290 3.3 361 4.1 367 4.1

Avon and Somerset 82 5.0 63 3.8 78 4.7 92 5.6 84 5.0

Devon and Cornwall 84 4.9 116 6.8 122 7.1 117 6.9 82 4.7
Dorset 24 3.2 29 3.8 19 2.5 29 3.8 44 5.7
Gloucestershire 29 4.7 27 4.4 27 4.4 35 5.7 32 5.1
Wiltshire 27 3.9 18 2.6 21 3.0 5 0.7 10 1.4
South West Region 246 4.5 253 4.7 267 4.9 278 5.1 252 4.6

Dyfed-Powys 11 2.1 8 1.5 14 2.7 20 3.9 16 3.1

Gwent 24 4.1 26 4.5 12 2.1 15 2.6 7 1.2
North Wales 20 2.9 18 2.6 15 2.2 15 2.2 13 1.9
South Wales 39 3.0 48 3.7 60 4.6 64 4.9 71 5.4
WALES 94 3.0 100 3.2 101 3.3 114 3.7 107 3.4
England And Wales 5,158 9.0 4,856 8.5 4,911 8.6 5,182 9.0 6,375 10.9
Note: Police recorded crime data are not designated as National Statistics
Sources:
ONS, Crime and Justice Statistics period ending March 2016, Appendix table 3.12, 9 February 2017 and earlier editions
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 12, 13 February 2020.
16 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

A1. Firearm Offences (excluding air weapons)

by police force area, english regions and Wales, year ending 31 March
2017/18 2018/19 Change per 100,000
Offences per Offences per change % change
100,000 100,000 2010/11 - 2010/11 -
Number population Number population 2018/19 2018/19

Cleveland 26 4.6 39 6.9 3.3 29%

Durham 26 4.1 46 7.3 3.4 8%
Northumberland 93 5.5 92 6.3 1.6 17%
North East Region 145 5.0 177 6.7 2.4 17%
Cheshire 81 7.4 92 8.7 2.7 25%
Cumbria 49 9.8 37 7.4 -4.6 -18%
Greater Manchester 541 19.4 424 15.1 -3.4 5%
Lancashire 109 7.3 108 7.2 -5.0 -40%
Merseyside 210 14.9 248 17.4 1.2 -8%
North West Region 990 13.7 909 12.5 -2.0 -5%
Humberside 50 5.4 55 5.9 1.4 19%
North Yorkshire 23 2.8 46 5.6 1.5 -31%
South Yorkshire 177 12.8 199 14.2 4.4 30%
West Yorkshire 481 20.6 480 20.7 11.1 114%
Yorkshire and the Humber Region 731 13.3 780 14.2 6.3 68%
Derbyshire 69 6.6 86 8.2 -1.7 -33%
Leicestershire 75 7.0 115 10.5 2.9 -9%
Lincolnshire 35 4.7 44 5.8 3.5 103%
Northamptonshire 126 17.2 120 16.1 4.2 44%
Nottinghamshire 94 8.3 119 10.3 1.1 -10%
East Midlands Region 399 8.4 484 10.1 1.7 1%
Staffordshire 65 5.8 102 9.0 4.2 22%
Warwickshire 49 8.8 95 16.6 7.6 -3%
West Mercia 67 5.3 104 8.1 1.7 -17%
West Midlands 681 23.8 710 24.3 -8.1 -27%
West Midlands Region 862 14.9 1,011 17.1 -2.0 -22%
Bedfordshire 106 16.0 105 15.7 -0.6 -2%
Cambridgeshire 84 9.8 63 7.4 -0.2 29%
Essex 255 14.1 215 11.7 4.1 86%
Hertfordshire 34 2.9 57 4.8 1.4 -14%
Norfolk 29 3.2 47 5.2 2.5 19%
Suffolk 27 3.6 33 4.4 0.8 3%
East of England Region 535 8.7 520 8.4 1.9 34%
City of London 1 - 2 + -
Metropolitan Police 2,126 24.2 2,046 23.0 -9.2 -25%
London Region 2,127 - 2,048 23.0 -
Hampshire 98 5.0 110 5.5 1.5 22%
Kent 78 4.3 98 5.3 2.7 66%
Surrey 51 4.3 49 4.1 -3.0 -39%
Sussex 61 3.6 66 3.9 0.9 20%
Thames Valley 62 2.6 67 2.8 -3.4 -57%
South East Region 350 3.9 390 4.3 -0.2 -14%
Avon and Somerset 70 4.2 58 3.4 -3.1 -36%
Devon and Cornwall 103 4.9 126 7.1 3.4 31%
Dorset 34 4.4 44 5.7 -0.5 -29%
Gloucestershire 47 7.5 50 7.9 0.2 -2%
Wiltshire 39 5.5 47 6.5 2.2 29%
South West Region 293 5.0 325 5.8 0.4 -8%
Dyfed-Powys 7 1.4 24 4.6 1.5 -56%
Gwent 19 3.3 20 3.4 -2.5 -44%
North Wales 20 2.9 23 3.3 -2.3 -49%
South Wales 56 4.3 48 3.6 -1.2 -12%
WALES 102 3.3 115 3.7 -1.3 -33%
England And Wales 6,534 11.1 6,759 11.4 -0.8 -9%
Note: Police recorded crime data are not designated as National Statistics
Sources:
ONS, Crime and Justice Statistics period ending March 2016, Appendix table 3.12, 9 February 2017 and earlier editions
ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 12, 13 February 2020.
17 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

A2. London borough by firearm offences

2017/18 2018/19 Change 2017/18- 2018/19
Gun Firearm Gun Firearm
Crime lethally Crime lethally
Borough total discharged total discharged Percentage Actual
Barking & Dagenham 75 10 70 8 -7% -5
Barnet 65 2 87 4 34% 22
Bexley 51 4 47 8 -8% -4
Brent 135 23 102 31 -24% -33
Bromley 75 5 50 5 -33% -25
Camden 67 14 49 5 -27% -18
Croydon 136 17 101 8 -26% -35
Ealing 69 5 63 11 -9% -6
Enfield 122 20 99 13 -19% -23
Greenwich 77 7 105 14 36% 28
Hackney 100 38 89 19 -11% -11
Hammersmith & Fulham 34 5 47 3 38% 13
Haringey 151 47 140 32 -7% -11
Harrow 41 5 26 9 -37% -15
Havering 48 10 45 4 -6% -3
Heathrow Airport 0 0 0 0 - -
Hillingdon 63 9 52 9 -17% -11
Hounslow 42 4 60 9 43% 18
Islington 75 11 61 8 -19% -14
Kensington & Chelsea 40 4 34 1 -15% -6
Kingston upon Thames 25 2 27 2 8% 2
Lambeth 139 35 140 57 1% 1
Lewisham 101 6 110 19 9% 9
Merton 41 6 30 6 -27% -11
Newham 146 46 123 20 -16% -23
Redbridge 67 8 68 10 1% 1
Richmond upon Thames 22 3 19 2 -14% -3
Southwark 125 17 131 22 5% 6
Sutton 39 4 45 2 15% 6
Tower Hamlets 99 13 75 10 -24% -24
Waltham Forest 92 19 88 19 -4% -4
Wandsworth 69 2 69 9 0% 0
Westminster 101 6 96 8 -5% -5
Total 2,532 407 2,348 387 -7% -184
Source: Metropolitan Police Service, Year end crime statistics 2018/19, accessed 13 March 2020
18 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

A3. Firearm offences by firearm type, England and Wales, year ending 31 March
Imitation Unidentified Other Air Imitation Unidentified Other Air
Shotguns Handguns Rifles firearms firearms firearms firearms Total Shotguns Handguns Rifles firearms firearms firearms firearms Total
2008/0 618 4,273 89 1,507 953 759 6,041 14,240 4% 30% 1% 11% 7% 5% 42% 100%
2009/1 581 3,757 67 1,526 1,368 783 4,931 13,013 4% 29% 1% 12% 11% 6% 38% 100%
2010/1 611 3,107 74 1,618 958 672 4,295 11,335 5% 27% 1% 14% 8% 6% 38% 100%
2011/1 494 2,655 56 1,387 834 596 3,510 9,532 5% 28% 1% 15% 9% 6% 37% 100%
2012/1 453 2,256 43 1,226 724 456 2,977 8,135 6% 28% 1% 15% 9% 6% 37% 100%
2013/1 387 2,134 55 1,142 698 440 2,873 7,729 5% 28% 1% 15% 9% 6% 37% 100%
2014/1 431 2,061 52 1,123 833 411 2,954 7,865 5% 26% 1% 14% 11% 5% 38% 100%
2015/1 411 2,157 48 1,431 666 469 3,217 8,399 5% 26% 1% 17% 8% 6% 38% 100%
2016/1 592 2,685 61 1,642 844 551 3,203 9,578 6% 28% 1% 17% 9% 6% 33% 100%
2017/1 657 2,685 92 1,540 869 508 2,861 9,419 7% 29% 1% 16% 9% 5% 30% 100%
2018/1 677 2,726 65 1,407 1,147 737 3,028 9,787 7% 28% 1% 14% 12% 8% 31% 100%
Notes:
Other firearms include CS Gas / pepper spray, stun guns and other weapons

Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 2, 13 February 2020.
19 Commons Library Briefing, 24 March 2020

A4. Firearm Offences by offence group, year ending 31 March

% change
2016/17-
2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2017/18
Non-air firearms
Violence against the person 2,216 2,351 2,266 1,937 1,592 1,462 1,540 1,898 2,207 2,167 2,374 10%
Robbery 3,576 3,607 2,925 2,533 2,172 1,951 1,690 1,528 1,663 1,658 1,752 6%
Burglary 157 195 147 139 97 112 108 110 201 193 189 -2%
Criminal damage 528 451 374 333 335 330 320 287 478 515 500 -3%
Public fear, alarm or distress 263 259 261 203 200 225 317 323 363 335 336 0%
Possession of weapons 1,193 971 852 695 603 625 732 864 1,075 1,317 1,258 -4%
Other firearm offences 266 248 215 182 159 151 204 172 388 349 350 0%

All non-air weapon offences 8,199 8,082 7,040 6,022 5,158 4,856 4,911 5,182 6,375 6,534 6,759 3%

All firearms
Violence against the person 829 760 556 429 425 400 368 363 412 397 411 -4%
Robbery 39 56 50 34 34 26 25 23 28 39 35 39%
Burglary 10 10 8 12 5 2 4 3 10 11 3 10%
Criminal damage 4,630 3,646 3,197 2,669 2,091 2,109 2,193 2,162 2,152 1,891 1,935 -12%
Public fear, alarm or distress5 44 47 53 27 17 21 17 19 25 27 35 8%
Possession of weapons5 263 183 166 128 100 94 111 83 107 109 114 2%
Other firearm offences 226 229 265 211 305 221 236 564 469 387 495 -17%

All firearm offences 14,240 13,013 11,335 9,532 8,135 7,729 7,865 8,399 9,578 9,395 9,787 -2%

Note:
Prior to year ending March 2005, air weapon offences were recorded as homicide, attempted murder, other violence against the person, robbery, burglary, criminal damage or other offences.
Therefore, possession of weapons and public fear alarm or distress offences for air weapons prior to this date are included in 'other' within violence against the person offences.

Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 8, 13 February 2020
20 Firearm Crime Statistics: England & Wales

A5. Firearm offences resulting in injury, year ending 31 March

% change
2017/18-
2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2018/19
Non-air firearms
Total non-air weapon injuries 1,760 1,914 1,952 1,617 1,309 1,107 1,041 1,250 1,402 1,340 1,426 -4%
of which:
Fatal injury 39 39 59 42 30 27 19 26 31 29 31 -6%
Serious injury 319 337 295 255 170 162 146 202 231 309 283 34%
Slight injury 1,402 1,538 1,598 1,320 1,109 918 876 1,022 1,140 1,002 1,112 -12%
No injury 6,439 6,168 5,088 4,405 3,849 3,749 3,870 3,932 4,973 5,194 5,333 4%

Total non-air firearm offences 8,199 8,082 7,040 6,022 5,158 4,856 4,911 5,182 6,375 6,534 6,759 2%

All firearm offences (injuries)

Total weapon injuries 2,453 2,570 2,402 1,972 1,668 1,433 1,340 1,520 1,715 1,638 1,688 -4%
of which:
Fatal injury 39 40 59 42 30 29 19 26 31 30 33 -3%
Serious injury 391 404 330 285 204 208 183 232 256 343 310 34%
Slight injury 2,023 2,126 2,013 1,645 1,434 1,196 1,138 1,262 1,428 1,265 1,345 -11%
No injury 11,787 10,443 8,933 7,547 6,467 6,296 6,525 6,879 7,863 7,757 8,099 -1%

All firearm offences 14,240 13,013 11,335 9,519 8,135 7,729 7,865 8,399 9,578 9,395 9,787 -2%

Notes:
Injuries could be caused by either the firearm being fired or used as a blunt instrument.
'Fatal injury' includes the 12 people killed by Derrick Bird on 2 June 2010.
Number of fatal injuries where a firearm has been involved in an offence may differ from the number of homicides by shooting. This is due to offences where a firearm has been involved
but shooting has not been the principal method of killing. Additionally, Homicide Index figures include crossbows which are excluded from the firearms collection.

A serious injury is one which requires a stay in hospital or involves fractures, concussion, severe general shock, penetration by a bullet or multiple shot wounds.

Source: ONS, Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2019, Offences involving the use of weapons: data tables, table 5, 13 February 2020.
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